It was utter chaos.

Loch had no other words to describe what he was seeing. It was a giant fight between multiple groups, all lashing out at each other. The fighting was spread out over the clearing, not concentrated on any one spot, the combatants moving and flowing from one opponent to another. Bodies lay across the clearing, more joining.

A triceratops was gashing Bugbears with its horns, the Bugbears being attacked by what Loch could only assume were Wendigos. There were a lot more Wendigo than anything else, those monsters attacking everything with Velocioraptors circling and snapping at everything.

Including the small group of humans.

Loch couldn’t get an accurate count of any of the creatures, the mass moving and shifting so much. The Wendigo were varied, barely any the same. All were recognizable by their pale white skin, stretched taut over bones. He saw humans, or maybe they were elves, mutated chipmunks and ticks. Bears, wolves and other animals. What he thought was one of the frogman creatures. And a singular being, standing above all the others.

Thin, angular with long arms that almost touched the ground, a head that was extended and broken antlers. It was a creature of nightmares.

And it was killing humans. They were in a tight circle, only a couple visible from where he was at. It looked like more were in the circle, surrounded by a wall of people desperately fighting. No way to tell how many, but Loch could tell they were in trouble.

“That one is the Alpha Wendigo,” Cerie said, floating over to hover above Loch’s shoulder.

She pointed at the large one with antlers. Loch had already guessed that was the one that needed to die. The only problem was that in the chaotic mass, it would be hard to get to the Alpha and there were other people that needed help.

“Priority are the people,” Loch said, raising his voice to be heard over the fighting that was still over a hundred feet away. “Second is that large Wendigo.”

“We’re going out into that,” someone said.

Loch turned, trying to find the speaker. He barely recognized the voice which meant it was one of Josh’s team. They all looked away, none able to meet his gaze, each looking ashamed.

“Yes,” Loch said, growling the words out. “We are. Those people need our help.”

They had to help those people. To sit back and do nothing was to condemn them. Some might think it the better choice but Loch couldn’t and wouldn’t. He had the power, his whole group had the strength. They had to help save who they could.

Josh’s eyes shifted over to Piper.

Loch looked at his daughters, ready to tell them to hang back but stopped himself. He had just told others that they were going to fight in the chaos. All fights dangerous but this one, with so many combatants of different races and Abilities, it was even more so. He kept thinking of it as chaos and that's what it was. There were no lines of battle, no feints or retreats. It was pure mayhem.

He’d just told Josh and his people that they had no choice. They were going into that chaos. But only a breath later he’d been about to tell his daughters to stay away.

He took a breath, working to steady his nerves, his heart pounding. He couldn’t send Harper and Piper into that mess, but he couldn’t tell them to stay behind. He knew Josh Hauser was just waiting for that. Loch didn’t care what others would think but at the same time, could he really justify keeping two of the strongest and highest Levels out of the fight?

He wanted to.

Those people needed their strength just as much as Loch needed them to stay back and stay safe. Whose need was more important? Would it have changed if Harper and Piper were adults and not teenagers?

Loch already hated the Connection for destroying their lives. He hated having to even make this decision. No parent should ever be put in that position. But he was and he had to do what was right.

Wasn’t that what he had always tried to teach his girls?

Do the right thing, no matter the sacrifice.

Loch looked up at the sky, visualizing the Connection somewhere out there in the vastness of the universe. Someday, Loch thought, you will pay. In a book series he’d read, the main character had been pushed into horrible situations, mind numbing chaos and soul crushing decisions, but at the end of each book the MC would look up at the sky and focus on the ones that had put him in those situations. ‘You will not break me’, he’d growl at the forces arrayed against him.

Loch felt the same at that moment. He could almost physically feel the Connected System pushing against him, trying to weigh him down, trying to break him.

It would not.

“We are all going out there,” Loch said, trying to project a confidence he didn’t feel. “But we are going to be smart about it.”

He turned back to the battle. In just a few seconds it had shifted. Bugbears were now fighting the triceratops, with the raptors facing off with more Wendigo. The humans looked to have gotten a bit of a breather with some of the Wendigo pulled off them. They were still in trouble, still besieged, but not as dire. They were also off to the side, almost isolated from the rest of the fighting, the Alpha Wendigo closer to the triceratops. But the humans were also further away from Loch and his people.

“We’ll move up the side,” Loch said, pointing to his left. “Cutting into the field but circling around to avoid the dinosaurs, bugbears and wendigo. Ranged will hang back. Melee will continue around and come from behind where the enemy around the group looked thinnest.”

He waited for arguments, and got none. Loch looked from Elora to Harper, knowing which was the best choice for the next part, but wanting to choose the other.

“Harper, I need you to enter the Shadow Realm and reach the humans. See how bad they really are and coordinate. We’ll try to punch a hole in the attackers for them.”

Harper nodded. Loch felt eyes on him, questioning. He wanted to change it, to have Elora do it but Harper was the best choice for a couple of reasons. The first was that she was obviously a human. If an elf appeared in their midst, the other group would panic. It would be justified. They didn’t know Elora, probably hadn’t encountered any elves. Elora had a high level of Stealth, and could probably make her way through the attackers with a combination of sneaking and quick attacks, but Harper could avoid the attackers completely.

“Remember, the priority is getting the humans out safely,” Loch said, looking over the group. He saw Cerie and Elora both start to protest, holding up a hand to stop them. “The Alpha will be next but if we can’t do it safely because of everything else. We take the human group and we run. We’ll deal with the Wendigo when it’s safer for us.”

Cerie was smart enough to not say anything. Elora looked past him at the fighting and nodded. The Alpha was in the middle of the chaos. Tall enough to stand out, but still surrounded by a lot of enemies, any of which would happily attack Loch and his people.

“Let’s go and be safe,” Loch said, removing his pack and letting it drop to the ground, the others dropping theirs.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

***

Loch crouched in the tall grass. The field hadn’t been mowed often Pre-Connection, but it had never grown as tall as it was now. Three, almost four feet tall, waving in the constant wind. Bending under the force of the gale. It was still high enough to provide cover.

They were moving too slow, the battle was progressing and not looking good for the few humans remaining upright. Loch hoped more were still alive. He couldn’t see the ranged team, crouching low to hide in the grass. Not that it really mattered as all the fighters were engaged and not looking around them as Loch and his people moved through the grass toward the combat.

As he watched, another human fell. They were still a hundred feet, maybe more, out but couldn’t wait any longer. Loch stood up, Onyx in one hand, the energy shield growing in front of his other arm.

“Go,” he yelled out.

Loch ran, the others rushing alongside. He glanced back, making sure Josh and his people had joined. They had, but moved slower. That was part of the plan, and Loch was glad to see the other man doing what he’d been told. Loch had been worried if Josh would hold up his end. Loch was the point of the spear.

The Wendigo on the edges turned, hearing the noise, the first catching a thrown Onyx in the face. The axe split the monster’s skull open, flying past where it impacted another, catching that one in the shoulder. The first Wendigo fell, the multi-colored sparks flowing out of the dead body, dancing across the field toward Loch.

He ignored them, a returned Onyx in his hand. A Wendigo broke off from the mob, rushing at him. It looked like a Mutated Chipmunk, the fur white and patchy, the thick tail with no fur just a rope like on a rat. The thing was thin, skin pulled tight against bone, but it still moved as fast as when it had been alive.

Were Wendigo considered undead? Loch wasn’t sure, pushing the question aside for later. Undead or still alive, it didn’t matter. The monster had to be destroyed. There were no second thoughts or hesitating. Anything corrupted and changed by the Wendigo had to be destroyed.

It leapt off the ground, claws extended, making no noise. Loch caught it on his raised shield, the creature half its original size but still fully weight. He set his feet, holding the monster in the air, twisting to the side and slamming it to the ground. He swung Onyx on the follow-through, axe cutting the Wendigo in half. Feet in both halves twitched before falling still.

Loch turned a full circle, letting his momentum help him regain his run. He had fallen behind, the others pushing ahead. They slammed into the monsters, weapons swinging. Arrows and blasts of energy came in from the side along with a streaking giant black cat, Loch just seeing them before he was surrounded by fighting. All he could see were Wendigo and Bugbears, rows deep. Some turning to face him, others fighting each other. There were so many monsters all pressed together. Loch just kept pushing, swinging Onyx and bashing with Bulwark. He didn’t stop, just kept hacking and slashing his way through the mob. He could see his people on either side as they pushed into the chaos.

***

Harper hung back, watching the rest charge across the field led by her father. She couldn’t see Piper or the other ranged, but saw the arrows and Piper’s ink monster. A large black cat that launched itself into the crowd of monsters, disappearing but even from where she was, Harper could see the results. Bugbears and Wendigo were thrown into the air, a smaller Velociraptor following. That creature landed in the field, standing up on wobbly legs, only for an arrow to catch it in the neck, causing it to fall to the ground.

She wanted to be there, jumping into the battle. There wasn’t as much room for her normal style of fighting, but she could move along the edges much like Elora was doing. The elf was a blur, striking and rushing off to face the next foe. Making no killing blows, but distracting or wounding with each attack.

Harper took a deep breath, knowing her part was coming. As much as she wanted to be with the others, she understood her role. It was an important one. She was proud. Her father had hesitated, almost choosing Elora. She had seen the look, had understood.

But he hadn’t. He’d chosen her.

His reasons all made sense. She was the better choice. And she could understand why he had been reluctant. Where she was going was not safe. Nowhere in this chaotic mess of a battle was truly safe, but she was going straight into the middle of it. Surrounded by enemies hungry for her death.

The giant Wendigo, the Alpha, scared her. It was like something out of a horror movie. Since the Connection, everything was scary, but the Wendigo was next level. It wasn’t looking at them, hadn’t even turned when her father and the others started their run. It was concentrating on the Triceratops, even knocking some of its own people, things?, out of the way in its rush to get at the giant dinosaur. But how long would that last before it turned and attacked them?

Her father and the others pushed into the mob, making a wedge. Their charge had slowed but they were still making progress, pushing closer to the trapped humans. Now it was her turn.

She started running, the green stalks of grass starting to turn brown bending as she burst through them. Activating Shadow Skip the colors of the world disappeared, replaced by shades of gray. The afternoon sun disappeared, taking its warmth with it. The days were no longer as warm, fall approaching, but that chill was nothing like the cold of the Shadow Realm.

It wasn’t just the lack of warmth but a chill of the soul. Harper hated it in the Shadow Realm. She loved her Abilities and how it helped her fight but those were usually quick trips. In and out. Not lingering. Ever since the mad dash through the Shadow Realm when she took Piper’s Spatial Bag back to the Clanhold when her father and sister were pursued by gaunts, she had tried to avoid spending long times in the Shadow Realm.

The more she did, the more the bone-numbing chill lingered outside the Realm.

She hadn’t told her father yet. Probably wouldn’t. Just something else for him to worry about and that might end up being the final straw, the one that made him bench her, force her to remain in the Clanhold and not fight. She didn’t want that, couldn’t have that.

Not now. Not after finding herself.

This was what she should be doing. Harper had always been about the competition, about the meets and striving to do her best. Win or lose, as long as she tried her best. Her parents were always proud of her, but she kept pushing herself. She knew she’d never be in the Olympics but a scholarship to a top school was possible. A great program and who knew what the future would bring.

Then the Connection gave her new meaning, a new way to use her skills.

To save people. To protect people.

And to fight. She had to admit to liking that.

The distance passed quickly, time flowing differently in the Shadow Realm. Her arms were gray, the grass was gray, the sun was gray. Her father, Piper off to the side, it was all gray. But the Wendigos were white. Pure white. Almost glowing in the Shadow Realm.

She ignored it as well as all the smaller white shapes, focusing on the gray ones she knew.

Harper passed her father and Brian Jefferson, the points of the wedge. The large man never far from her father’s side. She passed the first line of monsters, sliding between and around, never stopping her run. She passed more, ducking under the slow swing of a glowing white bear standing on its hind legs. The thing was thin, ratty fur hanging off, but the claws were still long and sharp. She left it behind.

Then she was through the monsters, pass the line of the human circle. She could see the fear and desperation on their faces. The defiant stares as they swung makeshift weapons at the monsters, used garbage can lids and other things for shields, camping axes and a couple of swords. She stopped running in the middle of that circle of defenders, seeing bodies on the ground.

Alive or dead, she couldn’t tell. All was gray. A couple people stood over the bodies, watching the fighting, ready to jump in if needed. One woman stood above the others, arm raised, small dagger in hand, pointing at a Bugbear near to bursting through the line, pushing the defenders back.

Harper took a couple extra steps past the woman, tonfas raised.

She exited the Shadow Realm, her momentum gathering speed as time returned to normal. The tonfa’s blade stabbed straight, piercing through the throat of the surprised Bugbear. The men to the sides reacted slowly as the creature fell, eyes wide in shock at her appearance, already being forced to turn and defend against more monsters.

Harper turned, seeing the surprised look of the woman, dagger still raised.

Forties, maybe fifties. Black hair with some streaks of silver. Brown eyes.

“Who..,” she said.

“No time,” Harper said. “Get your people ready to run.”

“Run where?,” the woman asked, pointing around them with the dagger.

“That way,” Harper said, pointing with her tonfa, the bugbear’s blood dripping off the end.

She could see the glow of Onyx as her father’s weapon cut through the monsters.

“Help is coming.”